Adjustable Intermediate Bearing for Tractor Implement Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil cultivation devices face limitations in steering angle due to cardan shaft deflection and structural complexity, particularly when high drive torques are involved, leading to wear and inefficient tool operation during cornering.
Innovation Solution
A semi-mounted rotary harrow or seed drill combination with an adjustable intermediate bearing that tracks only 50% of the steering angle change, using robust cardan shafts and a guide device with guide pins and slotted holes to maintain permissible deflections and prevent rattling, allowing for high torque transmission and uniform tool drive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the steering angle between tractor and implement is increased, then the maneuverability is improved, but the cardan shaft deflection exceeds permissible limits causing wear and failure
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate bearing with adjustable position is introduced as a mediator between the tractor power take-off shaft and the implement input shaft. This intermediate bearing carries the intermediate gear along with steering angle changes, allowing the cardan shafts to maintain permissible deflection angles while enabling larger overall steering angles between tractor and implement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wide-angle cardan shafts are used to allow larger deflections, then the steering angle is improved, but the cardan shafts are subject to great wear and not suitable for high drive torques
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate bearing serves as a mediator that maintains the cardan shafts within their optimal operating range. By adjusting the position of the intermediate bearing, the system enables larger steering angles while keeping cardan shaft deflections within permissible limits, thereby maintaining both strength for high torque transmission and adaptability for wide steering angles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two bevel gears are combined to form a swivel gear for unlimited deflection, then the steering angle is improved, but the structural effort becomes disproportionately large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of angle adjustment from a complex swivel gear mechanism and implements it through a simpler adjustable intermediate bearing. This intermediate bearing can be positioned at different locations to achieve the desired tracking ratio (e.g., 50% tracking) without requiring additional cardan shafts or complex gear arrangements, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining steering adaptability.
4Reliability
If the intermediate bearing tracks 50% of the steering angle change, then the cardan shaft rattling is prevented, but the tracking mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking mechanism employs asymmetric geometry where the distance from the pivot axis to the guide pin on one side differs from the distance on the other side. This asymmetric arrangement naturally achieves the 50% tracking ratio, preventing cardan shaft rattling during cornering while maintaining simple construction without requiring complex active control systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The cultivation device (1) has drive shafts (13, 13') arranged between a power take-off shaft (11) and a drive-through shaft (36) of an intermediate bearing (30) and between the drive-through shaft and an input shaft (10). A running track (24) is formed as a connection device (20) for connecting the cultivation device with a three point lever or a lower lever (25) of a tractor, at which an arm (26) is arranged at a distance behind the running track. A vertical rotational axis is provided as an articulated joint in the arm.